Adviser & Staff | Spring 2012 | Issue 67

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photos by Bonnie Blackman
Hebrew Academy of Long Beach | Long Beach, NY
W
hen Hurricane Sandy swept through Long
Beach, NY, a rush of ocean water came crashing
down upon the Hebrew Academy of Long Beach, Long
Beach, N.Y., destroying most of the school’s first floor.
The school, which is home to 760 students in grades 1–8,
is situated right on the Long Beach boardwalk, one of
the parts of New York that the hurricane hit hardest.
“The Long Beach boardwalk is our yard,” said Rabbi
Yehuda Fogel, yearbook adviser. “Nearly the entire first
floor of our school had to be replaced.”
The Beit Medrash, in the synagogue that is housed
within the school, was completely flooded and all the
walls and floors had to be removed and refurbished.
Hebrew Academy was uninhabitable for nearly
two months.
Photos taken after the storm reveal a somber scene.
Debris from the boardwalk is piled high in a parking
lot; the demarcation between what used to be the school
yard and the beach is gone and the building stands on a
bleak and barren landscape. The concrete wall that used
to be in the school yard is no longer there.
After the storm struck, Fogel’s eighth grade students
were relocated to Irving Place Minyan Synagogue, one
of the places that kindly opened its doors to the faculty
and students of Hebrew Academy.
After a few months, they were allowed to return to
their own classrooms at Hebrew Academy, but they still
had obstacles to overcome.
“When we moved back, we did not have access to
much of the building for another few weeks, due to
environmental issues.”
In spite of everything, Fogel and his yearbook staff
remained committed to producing their yearbook.
“At first, we were at a standstill,” Fogel explained.
“But, we soon began to realize what an important tool
our yearbook was as a central method of documenting
and remembering our experiences over the past eight
years and especially how we were able, as a community,
to persevere during this troubling time.”
Fogel is quick to give credit to his yearbook staff.
“They were truly incredible. They met at their homes
during the period that we were not in school. There was
a period in which we did not have power (some students
for weeks), and they used the old-fashioned pen-andpaper method to plan and design the yearbook.”
Fogel acknowledged the help of parents as well.
“They opened their homes to students for yearbook
meetings.”
When electricity was finally restored in the students’
homes, the yearbook staff was able to rely on technology
to stay in touch.
“The committee used iChat to meet at night on a
regular basis, since we were unable to meet during
school time while we were at the secondary location.”
Their experience with Hurricane Sandy has impacted
this year’s yearbook theme: “Connected Forever.”
“It depicts the resilience of our school community
in sticking together and being there for one another
during a time of need.” Fogel said. “There were many
students who volunteered after the storm in the cleanup
effort. We had students initiate campaigns to replace
items, such as clothing and other vital necessities, and
even hockey equipment for students that lost everything
in the storm.”
Now that Hebrew Academy has reopened and the
students are back in their own classrooms again, they
are able to use their computers and printers to move
forward with their yearbook production.
“The team has been self-motivated in consistently
persevering through any challenge.” Fogel said.
This courageous class of eighth graders
demonstrated uncommon resiliency in their response to
this unprecedented, life-changing experience. Along the
way, they learned valuable lessons about what it takes to
grapple with and overcome adversity.
Debris from the Long
Beach boardwalk
piled high in a nearby
parking lot.
The outdoor pool at
Hebrew Academy of
Long Beach after the
storm hit.
“The team
has been
self-motivated
in consistently
persevering
through any
challenge.”
Rabbi Yehuda Fogel
spring 2013 |
7